Mordas homers, Flajole throws shutout as Hawks reach district title game

Mordas homers, Flajole throws shutout as Hawks reach district title game

By Carl Kotala

Published: May 1, 2019

Viera High assistant coach Joe Breeden (left) and sophomore third baseman Morgan Mordas watch as the ball Mordas hit flies over the right-field fence for a solo home run during Tuesday's Class 7A, District 6 semifinal. Viera defeated Heritage 9-0 to reach Thursday's championship game.

VIERA VOICE Carl Kotala

PALM BAY – Corrin Flajole was on her game Tuesday night.

And after a somewhat slow start, Morgan Mordas and the Viera High offense kicked it into high gear, too.

That proved to be a winning combination for the Hawks in the semifinals of the Class 7A, District 6 tournament as Viera took out the host Heritage Panthers 9-0.

The Hawks (17-7) will take on Melbourne (22-4) in the championship game Thursday night at 6. Melbourne scored twice in the bottom of the seventh to beat Sebastian River 3-2 in Tuesday’s other semifinal.

“It was a great team win,” Viera coach Alex Breeden said. “Corrin really pitched well. She took a big step forward for us and we really needed her to do that.

“We kind of waited a little bit longer than I would have liked to score, but that being said, we got a W, so can’t really say anything about that. We’ve got a big one on Thursday.”

Flajole, a senior, allowed just three hits while also striking out three on her way to recording a complete game shutout for the Hawks.

“I think I threw pretty well,” Flajole said. “… It wasn’t what I wanted. I was aiming for a no-hitter, but still, not too shabby. No runs, that’s all that matters.”

While Flajole was dominating the Heritage lineup, Viera’s offense had nothing to show for its effort through the first three innings.

The Hawks would get on the board in the bottom of the fourth when Mordas hit a solo home run to the opposite field. Anna Brait then tripled and scored on a ground out by Flajole.

Viera would get two more in the fifth, then broke the game open with five in the sixth to put the Panthers away.

Mordas would finish with two hits and two RBIs. Taylor Jensen had two hits, an RBI and stole two bases. Brait and Karyana Mitchell both had a double and a triple to go with a run batted in.

“I thought the first couple of innings we came out a little complacent,” Breeden said. “That’s kind of been our MO (modus operandi) a few times this year, but we’ve been really harping hard that first inning, first pitch, we’re ready to go.

“We made adjustments quick. It only took us about one time through the lineup (to get going). Even that being said, the first inning or two we were hitting balls hard right at people.

“It’s that time of the year where we’re trying to be peaking at the right time.”

Mordas, meanwhile, seems to come up big in the big moments for Viera. The sophomore, who hit a clutch game-winning two-run single in the bottom of the sixth during last year’s regional final, got the Hawks offense going in the fourth with her solo blast.

The Hawks, meanwhile, got just the kind of game they needed from Flajole on the way to the easy win.

“She was getting ahead early (in the count) and that was her best friend,” Breeden said. “We harp a lot on attacking the strike zone early in the count and getting into those counts that are in favor of the pitcher – 0-1, 0-2, 1-2 – and she did that.

“She was aggressive. She was efficient. Her pitch count was low. She did a tremendous job tonight.”

The Viera-Melbourne final should be a good one – it always is – but the Hawks are hoping they’re hitting their stride just in time for another deep playoff run.

“I feel like we’re super together as a team and I think that’s going to help us out, especially in these last couple games that we have,” Flajole said. “Our big goal that we have is to win states. I think our team camaraderie is looking pretty good.”